asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the names of the organisations of workers and employers whom he has invited to send representatives to a conference on certain employment questions, and if he will state the terms of the invitation and when he expects the conference to assemble.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Conference on Employment Questions.
The following organisations of workers and employers have been invited to send representatives to a conference which has been arranged for to-morrow, the 15th May, 1941: The Irish Trade Union Congress, Federated Employers Ltd., Federation of Irish Manufacturers Ltd. In a letter of invitation these bodies were informed that I had had under consideration for some time what steps could best be taken to deal with unemployment following on shortage of supplies; the desirability, in particular, of prolonging employment for as many workers as possible for as long a period as possible; the desirability of requesting firms to avoid overtime and the possibility in certain cases of short-time working or working on a rotational basis subject to the exigencies of each industry. They were informed that I considered it necessary to seek their advice and help on how best to operate schemes of short time or rotational employment and to what extent under existing or revised regulations under the Unemployment Insurance and Unemployment Assistance Acts the Department could help in the direction of prolonging employment. In this connection I would refer the Deputy to the reply which I gave to his question in the matter on the 7th May, 1941.